Sulaymaniyah environmental police arrest nine for poaching, tree cutting

SULAYMANIYAH — Police in Sulaymaniyah arrested nine people over two days on environmental charges including illegal fish poaching, unauthorized well drilling and tree cutting, authorities said Tuesday.

On Tuesday, a Bngird Forest and Environment Police patrol arrested four people at Dukan Lake, seizing a boat and two nets. A Sharazur unit patrol arrested two others on charges of illegal well drilling, confiscating drilling equipment, a vehicle and a motorcycle. On Monday, an Arbat Forest Police patrol arrested two people for cutting natural trees and illegally leveling land, seizing a vehicle carrying cut oak wood. In a separate incident, a Mawat unit patrol discovered two partially cut mature oak trees and identified a suspect, who later turned himself in.